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CREA’s Emerging Leaders Initiative aims to nurture and empower the next generation of feminist leaders in India. Launched in 2023, this year-long initiative provides young feminists the opportunity to immerse themselves in human rights and social justice. Selected participants, known as Emerging Leaders (ELs), work closely with CREA’s teams, contributing to important programs and initiatives while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

Throughout the year, participants engage with feminist politics, enhance their leadership skills, and develop strategic thinking necessary for driving social change. The initiative offers various learning opportunities, including workshops, mentorship, and networking with global advocates. It is designed to equip emerging feminists with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to lead and innovate in the social sector.

As part of a global community of changemakers, ELs contribute to CREA’s mission of advancing sexual and human rights while receiving ongoing support and professional development throughout the program and beyond.

Meet the ELs 2024–25

Afrah Asif

Program Assistant – Sexuality and Disability

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Akansha Patidar

Program Assistant – Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights

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Ashhar Sidique

Program Assistant – RD & MEL

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Deepa Karki

Program Assistant – Capacity Building

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Jenita Blessy Dixon

Program Assistant – People and Culture

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Komal Gangar

Program Assistant – Feminist Leadership & Movements

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Palak Jain

Program Assistant – Communications

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Razia Deeba

Program Assistant – Finance

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Sahana Arvind

Program Assistant – Women Gaining Ground/Count Me In!

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Soumya Sinha

Program Assistant – Our Voices, Our Futures/Feminist Opportunities Now

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Emerging Leaders Alumni

Anamika KH

Anamika worked with the Disability and Sexuality portfolio.

Anamika received her BA in Sociology from the University of Hyderabad and a Master’s in Sociology from South Asian University, New Delhi. Her academic engagements broadly include the areas of gender, caste, work, and violence, along with budding interests in cognitive sociology. Hailing from Panangad village in Kerala, Anamika identifies as a Bahujan intersectional feminist who is passionate about bridging the gap between academia and the ground. She loves reading poetry and making illustrations. She enjoys taking photos of her friends and holds her journalling habit close.

Anvita Parmar

Anvita worked with the Resources, Impact and Learning team.

Anvita studied Sociology Honors at Ambedkar University, Delhi. She is passionate about social upliftment with a specific focus on women and children. She previously worked with EMP Bindi International Association (formerly known as Barefoot College International). She is an outdoors person who plays Ultimate frisbee on weekends and enjoys reading fiction and fantasy.

Digamber Kumar

Digamber worked with the Gender & WASH team.

Digamber graduated with a degree in Social Work from Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar College, University of Delhi. He was a Smile Fellow at Pravah. Digamber also participated in Youth G-20, organised by the Ministry of Family Welfare, Government of India. He wants to work more deeply on issues such as toxic masculinity, power and privilege.

Digamber’s Experience

Mahvish Shahab

Mahvish worked with the Feminist Leadership team.

Mahvish is a graduate in Law from Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi. She received her Master’s in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She also has a Diploma in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi. Her research interests include gender, minority rights, violence studies and everyday politics in a democratic society. In her spare time, Mahvish loves to watch movies.

Renuka N

Renuka worked with the Fostering Collective Resilience team.

Renuka has a degree in Law from Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar. Renuka has been a Marathi language consultant at Auxohub, where she worked on projects involving public health and sexual and reproductive health. She previously worked as a Period Fellow in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh where she worked with adolescents in government schools on destigmatising menstruation. Her area of interests include sexual and reproductive health and exploring the role of third spaces for feminist community building. When not planning picnics, she can be found going down rabbit holes on the internet or teaching people how to hula hoop.

Renuka’s Experience

Sneha Sandez

Sneha worked with the Gender-based Violence, Well-Being and Rights team. 

Sneha graduated with a Master’s in Critical Gender Studies, from the Central European University (CEU), Vienna, where her primary focus of research was domestic violence in marginalised and racialised communities, specifically Roma women in Hungary and Dalit women in India. She also holds an advanced certificate in Critical Romani Studies from CEU. Sneha graduated with a BA in Liberal Arts in Asian Studies from the Asian University for Women, Bangladesh. Sneha’s interests include prevention of gender-based violence and minority rights. Sneha enjoys travelling, reading, K-pop and dramas, hiking, drinking coffee, and playing table tennis and badminton.

Urvashi Dinkar

Urvashi worked with the Communications team.

Urvashi graduated with a Master’s in International History and Politics from the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) and received her Bachelor’s in History from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi. Previously, she worked with the International Telecommunication Union, Geneva, with the aim of closing the digital gender divide. She has experience in professional research reproductive and fertility rights, and culture and heritage conservation. Urvashi is an avid crocheter and knitter. She loves spending time with her four-legged friends.

Urvashi’s Experience

Vipasha

Vipasha worked with the Capacity-building team.

Vipasha received her Master’s in Gender Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. She has worked as a research manager at the Rangeen Khidki Foundation and on India’s first podcast series on queerness and the health sector. She was a Nazariya: QFRG fellow, and has also worked as a business development executive at StandWeSpeak. Vipasha hails from a small city in Punjab and identifies as an intersectional feminist. She is a cinema and music enthusiast. She loves spending time discovering new and old artists and watching regional and world cinema.